Faculty Profile

Robert Swan

Education: BA, Eastman School of Music; MM, Juilliard School; DMA, University of Arizona

Robert Swan is a successful concert pianist whose artistry has created an internationally renowned career, bypassing the traditional competition circuit. Even before his solo recital debut in Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City and London’s Wigmore Hall, he was performing as recitalist and soloist with major orchestras throughout the United States .

In all, Dr. Swan has performed 22 different concerti — across America, at the White House, and in England, Taiwan, and Korea. Born in Pennsylvania, he began piano studies at age 5. While a young teen, he gave his orchestral debut with the Juniata College Symphony performing Mozart’s A Major Piano Concerto K. 488.

Dr. Swan earned his bachelor of music degree from the Eastman School of Music, his master of music degree from the Juilliard School, and a doctor of musical arts degree from the University of Arizona. His major teachers include American pianists Earl Wild and Eugene List, Polish pianist Mieczyslaw Munz, and the distinguished French pianist Paul Doguereau.

While serving in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam era, he was a bandsman stateside and performed on electric piano with Dean Martin’s Golddiggers. He also served overseas. Dr. Swan taught at Turtle Bay Music School (a community music school) in New York City and held a two-year teaching assistantship while working on his doctorate at the University of Arizona.

Currently, he is an instructor of piano at Seattle Pacific University and teaches at Music Works Northwest (a community music school) in Bellevue, Washington. Active as an adjudicator and educator, Dr. Swan is on the International Baldwin Artist Roster.